Patients that have been diagnosed with certain conditions or diseases are often unsure or unaware of how to best manage their health. While the best advice to these patients often comes from their immediate health care professional, these professionals often have limited time to spend with each patient. Typically, once a patient has been diagnosed with a disease, their healthcare provider prescribes a course of treatment based on the patient's present symptoms. The prescribed course of treatment might include prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications as well as instructions for using the medications. In addition to the medications, the healthcare provider might prescribe a rehabilitative, therapeutic, or assistive regimen as well as devices or products that are known to alleviate the patient's condition. Periodic, follow-up evaluations of the patient allow the healthcare professional to adjust the course of treatment according to the symptoms exhibited and described by the patient.
Most diseases and other health ailments progress in a known manner. Years of study have allowed healthcare professionals to compile data related to the symptoms and conditions that patients typically exhibit as the patient's disease state progresses. Disease state progression may include one or more stages during which a patient typically exhibits symptoms indicating known conditions related to the disease. Describing a disease state progression by stages is a valuable tool for both healthcare professionals and their patients. For example, if a patient begins to exhibit symptoms indicating a particular condition of one disease stage, the healthcare professional may also test for other conditions that are typically exhibited by other patients who have been similarly diagnosed as a precaution. The disease state progression also gives the patient some level of comfort in knowing what to expect with their disease. This knowledge enables patients to plan for various symptoms that may be associated with the disease over time.
However, most planning and treatment regarding the disease state progression is entirely between the healthcare professional and the patient. As the patient encounters typical symptoms or conditions, he or she consults with their healthcare professional who then determines how best to treat the disease according to known best practices. However, due to the limited amount of time the professional is able to spend with the patient, the patient might not be fully aware of the wide array of beneficial healthcare products that are available to treat various conditions associated with the disease. Further, a patient in an early stage of a disease might not be aware that the disease is entering an advanced stage, yet might be experiencing some minor symptoms that indicate such disease state progression. For example, a patient diagnosed with an HIV infection and exhibiting symptoms associated with Clinical Stage 1 (see FIG. 1D) may experience a recurrent respiratory tract infection that is an indication of Clinical Stage 2. While the patient might not presently exhibit other Clinical Stage 2 conditions, it is likely that the patient will exhibit these conditions as the disease progresses. Yet, given the limited amount of time each healthcare professional is able to spend with each patient, it is impossible for the professional to recommend every product that might alleviate the patient's present and future conditions as the disease progresses. Because of the limited opportunity healthcare professionals and patients have to discuss symptom-relieving OTC products, the patient may also suffer from a lack of complete information.